Bobbin clutch



Sept. l, 1931. G. H. MAGRATH BOBBIN CLUTCH Filed July 25, 1928 A fb. ,H M 0 f ma u Patented Sept. l, 1931 UNITED STATES GEORGE H. MAGRATH, OF WHIVTINSVIYLLE, MASSACHUSETTS BOBBIN CLUTCH Application filed July 25,

This invention relat-es to a clutch for securing a bobbin or other weft carrier on a spinning or twisting spindle.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a clutch which shall be yieldingly self-centering, which will accommodate itself to slight variations in the diameter of the bobbin recess, which may be easily and economically manufactured, and which coinprises very few and simple parts which may be readily assembled.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a spindle having my improved bobbin clutch applied there- Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations, taken along the lines 3 3 and 4 4 respectively in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the resilient portion of my improved clutch is formed, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional elevations, taken along the lines 6 6 and 7 7 in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a. spindle having a blade 10 and whirl 11 on which a bobbin B is mounted. The whirl 11 has a recess 12 in its upper face for a purpose to be described.

A cap or casing member 14 is mounted on the blade 10 at a substantial distance above the whirl 11. A spring member, indicated generally by the letter S, is seated in the recess 12 and has the upper end of its spring fingers engaging the head 14.

The spring member S is preferably formed from a single blank of resilient sheet metal, such as spring steel, the blank being clearly shown in Fig. 5 and comprising a band portion from which project centering fingers 21 and driving fingers 22.

The ngers 21 and 22 are bent or offset to the outlines shown in Figs. 6 and 7. while the member S is still in the form of a flat 1928. Serial No. 295,212.

blank. The band 20 is then bent into ya circular outline and of a size to fit snugly into the recess 12 of the whirl 11. When thus positioned, the centering fingers 21 will extend straightk upward substantially parallel to the i axis of the spindle, as indicated in Fig. 4, and the offset upper end 25 of each nger 21 will bereceived in a groove 26 in the lower face of the cap 14, the groove being of such radius as to hold the fingers 21 parallel to the spindle.

The driving fingers 22 are somewhat shorter than the fingers 21 and the os'et upper ends 28 of the fingers 22 do not extend into the groove 26, but engage a ange V30 formed at the lower end of the cap 14 by recessing the cap, as indicated at 31. The fingers 22 are sprung outwardly and are held under spring tension by the iiange 30.

It will thus appear that my improved bobbin clutch comprises only the cap 14 and the spring member S, and that there areno movable partsexcept the spring centering iingers 22, which have a slight swinging movement at their upper ends.

When a bobbin is placed on the spindle, as indicated in Fig. 1, the driving fingers 22 are forced yieldingly inward and the bobbin is centered by the fingers 21 and band 20, as well as by the head 14. The driving fingers b 22 yieldingly engage the inner wall of the bobbin and form eective driving contact therewith.

A bobbin clutch thus formed has no parts capable of displacement or mal-adjustment, and this bobbin clutch is found particularly well adapted for the purposes intended. The smooth outer faces of the fingers 21 and 22 make it easy to dislodge and remove 'm bunches of yarn wound thereon. i

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is 1. A bobbin clutch for a spindle having a blade and whirl, said clutch comprising a cap mounted on said blade and having a recess and an annular groove in its lower face, a bobbin driving and centering member comprising a band seated on said whirl and two sets of up-standing lingers alternately disposed on said band, one set of fingers being eifective to center the bobbin and having their upper oset ends seated in said annular groove, and the other set of lingers being effective to drive the bobbin and having their upper offset ends yieldingly but unobstructably movable inward in said recess but limited as toy outward movement by the peripheral lange of said recess, and means on said whirl to center said band thereon.

2. A bobbin clutch for a spindle having a blade and whirl, said clutch comprising a plurality of alternately disposed resilient centering and driving members mounted on said spindle and positioned for yielding engagement with the inner surface of a bobbin mounted on the spindle, said centering members being held from radial movement at their upperiends, and said driving members being yieldi'ngly but unobstruotedly movable inwardly at their upper ends when a bobbin is mounted thereon, and the lower ends of all of said members being joined together and being seated on said spindle whirl, and said whirl having provision thereon to center said members at their lower seated ends.

k3. In a bobbin clutch, a resilent member comprising an annular band, and bobbin centering and bobbin driving fingers upstanding from said band and alternately disposed, all of said lingers having inwardly offset upper ends and said centering fingers being longer than said driving ingers.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE H. MAGRATH. 

